Slow to act on transparency, information access TCC fails on secrecy

CLASSIFIEDS COMICS CROSSWORDS GAMES& GADGETS LETTERS MONEY SAVER HQ NATION SPORT STARS, SUDOKU TEXT THE EDITOR TV GUIDE WEATHER WORLD 25 24 23 22 16 20 15 29 23 17 39 24 18 TOWNSVILLE City Council has failed to address key concerns about transparency and private information access by the deadline outlined in a scathing review.

The Office of the Information Commissioner ( OIC) handed down 24 recommendations following an audit of the council’s compliance with Queensland’s Right To Information ( RTI) Act and the Information Privacy Act.

The auditors were highly critical of an apparent culture of operational secrecy, poor re- cord- keeping and a lack of staff training inside the council.

The council accepted a draft of the audit in February but argued the recommendations had “limited direct relevance” because of structural changes after the local government amalgamation.

About half of the Commissioner’s recommendations carried a six- month deadline, but the Townsville Bulletin can reveal the council is still in the process of rolling out many of the changes.

The audit recommended the council amend its RTI policy to support “proactive disclosure”, make its policy and web page easy to locate, update its RTI log and implement an effective case management system by August. The original story in the Townsville Bulletin on March 7, 2018

The out- of- date RTI log was removed from the council’s website but a new system has not been rolled out to replace it.

The council’s chief financial officer Matt Thomson said council was progressing the OIC recommendations and had made “strong progress” on reviewing its RTI, privacy and CCTV policies.

“Council regularly reviews what data is released and is investing in creating a platform where information will be released through online dashboards,” he said.

“Council is also investigating updating its website to make information easier to find.”

The Commissioner's audit found 53 per cent of files did not have “sufficient records” of actions taken to process RTI applications. which was linked to a lack of staff training.

Mr Thomson said the coun- cil had since taken steps to address the OIC’s concerns.

“Staff have received new training — particularly around RTI laws — and the format of some council information has been simplified to make it easier to find and understand,” he said.

Mr Thomson said the council had also sought to increase community engagement and information access.

“The Community Council program also brings the mayor, committee chairs and directors into the suburbs to make it easier for residents to ask questions and stay informed about what’s happening in their local area.”

OIC is expected to conduct a follow- up audit within the next two years.